These ferries that connected the islands of Morbihan and shaped the public maritime service

Before the current BreizhGo Océane vessels, other ferries ensured the connection between the mainland and the islands of Morbihan. For decades, these ships transported residents, school pupils, professionals, vehicles and visitors, in summer as in winter.

More than simple means of transport, they embodied territorial continuity, island solidarity and the commitment of public maritime service in Brittany.

A look back at these vessels that marked the history of crossings to Groix, Belle-Île-en-Mer, Houat and Hoëdic.

An essential mission: connecting the islands to the mainland

Connecting the islands of Morbihan to the mainland has never been merely a tourist issue. It is a truly vital public service.

Between the port of Lorient and Groix, between Quiberon and Belle-Île-en-Mer, Houat and Hoëdic, maritime links structure daily life: school transport, freight transport, medical travel, worker mobility, economic and tourism development… These ferries have thus accompanied generations of island residents.

The vessels that marked the history of the crossings

L’Île de Groix

• Commissioned in 1960
• Route: Lorient Groix
• Capacity: 300 passengers

The Île de Groix (the third of the name) is the first ferry built by the Ateliers de La Perrière. After around fifteen years operating the Lorient–Groix route, its capacities, particularly in terms of passenger accommodation, became insufficient. It was then replaced in 1977 by the Kreiz er Mor, subsequently becoming a reserve vessel.

Le Guerveur

• Commissioned in 1966
• Routes: Lorient Groix and Quiberon Belle-Île
• Routes: Lorient Groix and Quiberon Belle-Île

Equipped from the outset with a bow thruster as well as anti-roll stabilizers, the Guerveur offered unprecedented comfort and technical performance on the route.
The first large-capacity roll-on/roll-off ferry on the line, it encouraged the growth of automobile transport and improved port manoeuvres.
A true turning point for Belle-Île, it durably modernised island services and its success enabled the Ateliers de La Perrière to continue building vessels for connections with the Îles du Ponant. Purchased in 2010, it is now operated in Normandy.

Le Jean Pierre Calloc’h

• Commissioned in 1969
• Routes: Lorient Groix and Quiberon Belle-Île
• Capacity: 350 passengers and 12 vehicles

This vessel had been built shorter than the Guerveur in order to facilitate manoeuvres in the port of Groix.
But convinced that a longer ship could equally operate the route thanks to the bow thruster and the two propeller shafts, the shipyard and the operator tested the Guerveur on the Lorient – Groix route. Verdict: impeccable manoeuvres.
Since then, the Groix ferries have grown longer! In 1999, it was sold to a Malagasy shipowner.

L’Acadie

• Commissioned in 1971
• Routes: Quiberon Belle-Île and Lorient Groix
• Capacity: 612 passengers and 27 vehicles

Very satisfied with the performance of the Guerveur, a new vessel was ordered in 1970 from the Chantiers et Ateliers de la Perrière. Designed on the same model, it nevertheless stands out for increased height at boarding and in part of the garage, in order to allow the transport of a few trucks. Long dedicated to the Quiberon – Belle-Île routes, it occasionally replaced the Île de Groix and the Saint-Tudy on the Lorient – Groix route from 2015 onwards. Sold, it has been in the Comoros since 2021.

Constant evolution in service of the islands

Over the decades, the fleet has modernised to respond to:

• the increase in tourist traffic
• new maritime safety standards
• environmental challenges
• the specific needs of island residents

Each generation of vessels has reflected its era: engines, capacities, onboard comfort, accessibility. This gradual evolution illustrates the constant determination to ensure reliable and fair service for island residents.

From maritime history to BreizhGo Océane

Today, the vessels belong to the Brittany Region and the maritime routes serving the islands of Morbihan, under the commercial brand BreizhGo Océane, form an integral part of the regional BreizhGo transport network.

While the vessels have changed, the commitment remains the same: guaranteeing territorial continuity and supporting island life on a daily basis.

An exhibition to discover at the maritime terminal

As part of this work of remembrance, an exhibition dedicated to the former ferries of the Morbihan maritime routes and built by the Chantiers et Ateliers de la Perrière is presented at the Lorient maritime terminal until 8 March 2026.

Archive photographs, testimonies, key dates and historical documents retrace the evolution of island services and provide a better understanding of the essential role played by these vessels over the decades.

Crédit photographies : © Les ferries, courriers et vedettes du Morbihan et des côtes Françaises